WVC 17 C- 2 - 1
§17C-2-1. Provisions of chapter refer to vehicles upon streets
and highways; exceptions.
The provisions of this chapter relating to the operation of
vehicles refer exclusively to the operation of vehicles upon
streets and highways except:

(1) Where a different place is specifically referred to in a
given section.

WVC 17 C- 2 - 2
§17C-2-2. Required obedience to traffic laws.
It is unlawful and, unless otherwise declared in this
chapter with respect to particular offenses, it is a misdemeanor
for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act
required in this chapter.

WVC 17 C- 2 - 3
§17C-2-3. Enforcement of chapter; designation and power of special
officers; bond of special officers; failure to obey
police officer or special officers.
(a) It is the duty of the West Virginia state police and its
members to enforce the provisions of this chapter and other laws of
this state governing the operation of vehicles upon the streets and
highways of this state as defined in section thirty-five, article
one of this chapter or in other designated places specifically
referred to in a given section in this chapter; and it is the duty
of sheriffs and their deputies and of the police of municipalities
to render to the West Virginia state police assistance in the
performance of said duties as the superintendent of the West
Virginia state police may require of them.

(b) The West Virginia commissioner of highways is authorized
to designate employees of the West Virginia division of highways as
special officers to enforce the provisions of this chapter only
when special officers are directing traffic upon bridges and the
approaches to bridges which are a part of the state road system
when any bridge needs special traffic direction and the
superintendent of the West Virginia state police has informed the
West Virginia commissioner of highways that he or she is unable to
furnish personnel for traffic direction. The West Virginia
commissioner of highways may also designate certain employees of the West Virginia division of highways serving as members of
official weighing crews as special officers to enforce the
provisions of article seventeen of this chapter. Notwithstanding
any provision of this code to the contrary, designated special
officers serving as members of official weighing crews may carry
handguns in the course of their official duties after meeting
specialized qualifications established by the governor's committee
on crime, delinquency and correction, which qualifications shall
include the successful completion of handgun training, including a
minimum of four hours' training in handgun safety, paid for by the
division of highways and comparable to the handgun training
provided to law-enforcement officers by the West Virginia state
police: Provided, That nothing in this section shall be construed
to include designated special officers authorized by the provisions
of this section as law-enforcement officers as such are defined in
section one, article twenty-nine, chapter thirty of this code. The
West Virginia commissioner of highways shall provide a blanket bond
in the amount of ten thousand dollars for all employees designated
as special officers, as above provided.

(c) No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with a
lawful order or direction of any police officer or designated
special officer invested by law with authority to direct, control or regulate traffic.

(d) No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with a
lawful order or direction of any designated special officer
pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section.

WVC 17 C- 2 - 4
§17C-2-4. Obedience to chapter of public officers and employees;
chapter inapplicable to persons engaged in highway
surface work.
(a) The provisions of this chapter applicable to the drivers
of vehicles upon the highways shall apply to the drivers of all
vehicles owned or operated by the United States, this state, or
any county, city, town, district, or any other political
subdivision of the state, except as provided in this section and
subject to such specific exceptions as are set forth in this
chapter with reference to authorized emergency vehicles.

(b) Unless specifically made applicable, the provisions of
this chapter shall not apply to persons, teams, motor vehicles,
and other equipment while actually engaged in work upon the
surface of a highway but shall apply to such persons and vehicles
when traveling to or from such work.

WVC 17 C- 2 - 5
§17C-2-5. Authorized emergency vehicles.
(a) The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when
responding to an emergency call or when in the pursuit of an
actual or suspected violator of the law or when responding to but
not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privileges
set forth in this section, but subject to the conditions herein
stated.

(b) The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may:

(1) Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this
chapter;

(2) Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only
after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;

(3) Exceed the speed limits so long as he does not endanger
life or property;

(c) The exemptions herein granted to an authorized emergency
vehicle shall apply only when the driver of any said vehicle
while in motion sounds audible signal by bell, siren, or exhaust
whistle as may be reasonably necessary, and when the vehicle is
equipped with at least one lighted flashing lamp as authorized by
section twenty-six, article fifteen of this chapter which is
visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of
five hundred feet to the front of such vehicle, except that an
authorized emergency vehicle operated as a police vehicle need
not be equipped with or display a warning light visible from in
front of the vehicle.

(d) The foregoing provisions shall not relieve the driver of
an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due
regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provisions
protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless
disregard for the safety of others.

WVC 17 C- 2 - 6
§17C-2-6. Traffic laws apply to persons riding animals or driving
animal-drawn vehicles.
Every person riding an animal or driving any animal-drawn
vehicle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and
shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of
a vehicle by this chapter, except those provisions of this
chapter which by their very nature can have no application.

WVC 17 C- 2 - 7
§17C-2-7. Uniformity of provisions of chapter throughout state.
The provisions of this chapter shall be applicable and
uniform throughout this state and in all political subdivisions
and municipalities therein and no local authority shall enact or
enforce any ordinance, rule, or regulation in conflict with the
provisions of this chapter unless expressly authorized herein.
Local authorities may, however, adopt additional traffic
regulations which are not in conflict with the provisions of this
chapter.

WVC 17 C- 2 - 8
§17C-2-8. Powers of local authorities.
(a) The provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to
prevent local authorities with respect to streets and highways
under their jurisdiction and within the reasonable exercise of
the police power from:

(3) Regulating or prohibiting processions or assemblages on
the highways;

(4) Designating particular highways as one-way highways and
requiring that all vehicles thereon be moved in one specific
direction;

(5) Regulating the speed of vehicles in public parks;

(6) Designating any highway as a through highway and
requiring that all vehicles stop before entering or crossing the
same or designating any intersection as a stop intersection and
requiring all vehicles to stop at one or more entrances at such
intersection;

(7) Restricting the use of highways as authorized in section
twelve, article seventeen of this chapter;

(8) Regulating the operation of bicycles and requiring the
registration and licensing of same, including the requirement of
a registration fee;

(9) Regulating or prohibiting the turning of vehicles or
specified types of vehicles at intersections;

(10) Altering the speed limits as authorized herein;

(11) Adopting such other traffic regulations as are
specifically authorized by this chapter.

(b) No local authority shall permit any parking on any state
highway, or erect or maintain any stop sign or traffic- control
device at any location so as to require the traffic on any state
highway to stop before entering or crossing any intersecting
highway unless approval in writing has first been obtained from
the state road commissioner. Any such approval may be withdrawn
by a notice in writing from the state road commissioner.

(c) No ordinance or regulation enacted under subdivisions
(4), (5), (6), (7), or (10), of subsection (a) of this section
shall be effective until signs giving notice of such local
traffic regulations are posted upon or at the entrance to the
highway or part thereof affected as may be most appropriate.

WVC 17 C- 2 - 9
§17C-2-9. Chapter not to interfere with rights of owners of real
property.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the
owner of real property used by the public for purposes of
vehicular travel by permission of the owner and not as matter of
right from prohibiting such use, or from requiring other or
different or additional conditions than those specified in this
chapter, or otherwise regulating such use as may seem best to
such owner.

Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2014 1st Special Session
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